Corvinus University of Budapest starts the spring semester with online education. If the pandemic situation changes favourably, Corvinus will switch to hybrid education, but foreign students who are unable to enter Hungary can complete their entire semester online. Students can enter the buildings only for administration purposes (with pre-booked appointment), for personal consultations or work, and only after taking the body temperature, wearing a mask and keeping a physical distance of one and a half meters.
Education at the University of Public Service (Ludovika) continues online between 25 January and 21 February, unless otherwise noted. For full-time students from the Faculty of Military Science and Officer Training, and the Faculty of Law Enforcement, certain practical classes and regular examinations of physical fitness are held with personal attendance. After 21 February, the order of education is decided in accordance with the measures of the Hungarian Government.
Semmelweis University is also preparing for the hybrid education during the spring semester: theoretical education continues online, while practical courses (e.g. seminars) continue with personal presence. According to the vaccination plan of the National Public Health and Medical Officer Service, students who are studying healthcare and medicine will also have vaccination for the coronavirus. As soon as the pandemic situation and the number of vaccinees allow, the institution will return to traditional education.
At Eötvös Loránd University online education was launched in November and it is still in place. During the spring semester, full attendance education is not expected based on the current pandemic situation; however, hybrid education is possible during the second half of the semester.
The Budapest University of Technology and Economics is planning with online education for the next semester, as long as there is no change in government regulations. If possible, the goal is a slow transition to hybrid education but should there be more favourable conditions, the university is planning to return to traditional education with personal attendance.
The Budapest Business School is also planning to start the spring semester with online education. Slow transition to hybrid or normal education depends on the pandemic situation and the governmental measures. Classes are held online, but in exceptional cases, some practical courses (taking place in kitchens, laboratories, or restaurants) are organized with personal attendance, with a particular emphasis on safety precautions. The university also points out that in the current pandemic and economic situation, it is more difficult to find internships, and in case of some of their courses, opportunities are especially limited. Hence, the rules on internships are treated with more flexibility than usual, for example by not expecting professional consistency between theoretical and practical training.
The Óbuda University, online education will continue in the second semester. Students are not allowed to enter the campus, except for the employees and the PhD students, who have the rector’s permission. Professors and other staff members work in normal work schedules.
The second semester begins online at the University of Szeged as well, except for those practice courses where exceptions are permitted – e.g. healthcare courses, seminars held in pharmaceutical laboratories, or music education. The online education will continue at the beginning of the semester but the university plans flexibly and intends to resume personal attendance as soon as possible.
At the University of Pécs, spring semester will continue according to the autumn schedule. So, in addition to online education, courses will also be held with physical attendance devoting special attention to COVID regulations.
At the Széchenyi István University of Győr, full-time and correspondence education will continue with distance learning during the new semester, with the exception of music education. Students may be present in the buildings only if they take a final exam, consult on a research, dissertation, or doctoral dissertation, participate in an internship, research project, doctoral examination, complex exam, workshop discussion, or doctoral defence.
In the city of Veszprém, the University of Pannonia will continue its hybrid education during the spring semester as well. The buildings of the university and the libraries can be visited in strict compliance with the pandemic regulations.
At the University of Debrecen, the academic year will continue with distance learning from 8 February. However, in several areas (such as medical training), there are practical classes where physical presence is indispensable, but only with strict compliance with the pandemic regulations. If the restrictions are lifted, the university plans to switch back to traditional education as soon as possible.
The University of Miskolc is also preparing for the second semester according to the current regulations. They are constantly monitoring the actions of the Hungarian Government on the pandemic and decide accordingly.
Finally, the Hungarian University of Agricultural and Life Sciences, which has been operating since February with the transformation of Szent István University in Gödöllő, said that due to the emergency, digital education will be continued in the new semester. If the restrictions are removed by the Hungarian government, the order of education will be adjusted to the law immediately.
Links and sources: portfolio.hu